I'm giving the Flexbar a try for my TE

I ordered the medium, green one in hopes to alleviate some of the pain I get in my arm from time to time. I'm actually going to drop my string tension even more too. I can't stand not being able to play due to arm and shoulder pain! Anyone use a Flexbar with positive results?

Yeah, I have the red one and the green one. I never did much with them, as they didn't seem to help. What helped most was lowering my tension, getting an elbow band, and taking it easy. I also worked with a pro on my FH form so I use more body and less arm. Even now if I start arming the ball too much, I will feel the elbow.

I heard you really should start with the red one and work up to the green one, FWIW.

Yeah, I have the red one and the green one. I never did much with them, as they didn't seem to help. What helped most was lowering my tension, getting an elbow band, and taking it easy. I also worked with a pro on my FH form so I use more body and less arm. Even now if I start arming the ball too much, I will feel the elbow.

I heard you really should start with the red one and work up to the green one, FWIW.

Click to expand...

What kind of band are you wearing? I would like to try this as well. Thanks for your response.

The Flex bar works great for me. It's meant as a preventive measure and not as a cure, so don't wait until you have severe TE before you try it and expect a miracle.

If you have severe TE, wait until you're better first before using the Flex bar. Or wait until you're somewhat better and start using the red one a little bit first, until you feel better enough to use the green one.

But once you're healed, keep using it about 3 sets of 15-20 reps a day as an exercise to maintain and condition your arm as a physical exercise while you're playing, and it will help keep you out of trouble.

If you have TE from overuse, then it will help. If you have TE from bad technique, then it wouldn't help as much. You'll need a coach for that.

My opinion on the arm band is that it's a temporary band aid solution but it's not a long term solution. It doesn't cure the pain, it only masks and deflects the pain temporarily when you put it on to allow you to play, but as soon as you take it off, the pain is still there and can get worse.

The Flex band is a long term physical conditioning solution, because it helps improve the strength of your arm so that your arm muscles instead of your tendon will do the work while playing.

The Flex bar works great for me. It's meant as a preventive measure and not as a cure, so don't wait until you have severe TE before you try it and expect a miracle.

If you have severe TE, wait until you're better first before using the Flex bar. Or wait until you're somewhat better and start using the red one a little bit first, until you feel better enough to use the green one.

But once you're healed, keep using it about 3 sets of 15-20 reps a day as an exercise to maintain and condition your arm as a physical exercise while you're playing, and it will help keep you out of trouble.

If you have TE from overuse, then it will help. If you have TE from bad technique, then it wouldn't help as much. You'll need a coach for that.

My opinion on the arm band is that it's a temporary band aid solution but it's not a long term solution. It doesn't cure the pain, it only masks and deflects the pain temporarily when you put it on to allow you to play, but as soon as you take it off, the pain is still there and can get worse.

The Flex band is a long term physical conditioning solution, because it helps improve the strength of your arm so that your arm muscles instead of your tendon will do the work while playing.

But pain then can become a valuable indication of how much activity/exercise you can do.

So first, REST until the pain improves.

Then the principle of rehabilitation done by all physical therapists is to very gently begin moving the joint involved.

If pain recurs, or worsens, the exercise must be stopped, and not start until the pain lessens.

I would highly recommend starting exercise with a red Theraband Flexbar.

It probably would seem like only a "wimp" would use one so easy to flex, but it is the one used in the big study on tennis elbow.

The red is designed to do the "Tyler Twist" without disrupting the healing fibers in your elbow tendon.

Once you can do the exercise with the red for a couple of weeks, only then should you move on to the green.
Again start gently or risk tearing the fibers apart, and have to start healing all over again.

Only after all of this should you return to gentle short hitting sessions, gradually increasing your hitting force and length of your practice sessions over time.

By taking this step by step approach you should be able to return to tennis actually much faster than those who return to soon, tear all the healing fibers, and have to start all the healing all over again.
Check out the multiple long threads here in this section of those who tried to return too soon, only to lengthen their misery.

But pain then can become a valuable indication of how much activity/exercise you can do.

So first, REST until the pain improves.

Then the principle of rehabilitation done by all physical therapists is to very gently begin moving the joint involved.

If pain recurs, or worsens, the exercise must be stopped, and not start until the pain lessens.

I would highly recommend starting exercise with a red Theraband Flexbar.

It probably would seem like only a "wimp" would use one so easy to flex, but it is the one used in the big study on tennis elbow.

The red is designed to do the "Tyler Twist" without disrupting the healing fibers in your elbow tendon.

Once you can do the exercise with the red for a couple of weeks, only then should you move on to the green.
Again start gently or risk tearing the fibers apart, and have to start healing all over again.

Only after all of this should you return to gentle short hitting sessions, gradually increasing your hitting force and length of your practice sessions over time.

By taking this step by step approach you should be able to return to tennis actually much faster than those who return to soon, tear all the healing fibers, and have to start all the healing all over again.
Check out the multiple long threads here in this section of those who tried to return too soon, only to lengthen their misery.

Many resist hitting with a more flexible racquet and softer strings (natural gut or multifilament rather than poly).

But it doesn't have to be a permanent solution.

Picking up an older flexible frame and stringing it with a multifilament can be relatively inexpensive.
Sure it won't perform like the former set up - but it may get you back on the court quicker for an earlier return to hitting sessions - and help prevent an early recurrence.
This set up also helps on an earlier return to serving practice without suffering a recurrence.
I think you are absolutely right that many who suffered tennis elbow can eventually do better with a hybrid to get the spin they want, but avoid the harshness of a full poly set up.

With more time to spend off the courts, reexamining stroke technique is an excellent suggestion.
Getting someone to video your strokes is a great way to understand what you are doing, and if there is room for imprrovement.
Even investment in having a pro review your strokes is worthwhile if there is a concern there is some flaw in technique predisposing to tennis elbow.

Many resist hitting with a more flexible racquet and softer strings (natural gut or multifilament rather than poly).

But it doesn't have to be a permanent solution.

Picking up an older flexible frame and stringing it with a multifilament can be relatively inexpensive.
Sure it won't perform like the former set up - but it may get you back on the court quicker for an earlier return to hitting sessions - and help prevent an early recurrence.
This set up also helps on an earlier return to serving practice without suffering a recurrence.
I think you are absolutely right that many who suffered tennis elbow can eventually do better with a hybrid to get the spin they want, but avoid the harshness of a full poly set up.

With more time to spend off the courts, reexamining stroke technique is an excellent suggestion.
Getting someone to video your strokes is a great way to understand what you are doing, and if there is room for imprrovement.
Even investment in having a pro review your strokes is worthwhile if there is a concern there is some flaw in technique predisposing to tennis elbow.

Click to expand...

Too many folks are hung up on the poly craze. I've tried it and I like the durability and spin. My results don't change though when I play with a flexible racket and multifilament strings. It's the Indian not the arrow.

Too many folks are hung up on the poly craze. I've tried it and I like the durability and spin. My results don't change though when I play with a flexible racket and multifilament strings. It's the Indian not the arrow.

I'm fighting with my tennis elbow for one year and I've learnd lot about it on this forum. Has anyone seen or tried self treatment on http://tenniselbowclassroom.com or is it another web site who gives you empty hope just to pay membership?